Port Moody · 2026 School Guide

Best Schools in Port Moody (2026 Buyer’s Guide)

Every top SD43 (Coquitlam) secondary, elementary & middle school in Port Moody — ranked, mapped, and linked to detailed catchment guides.

Quick read

The honest read on Port Moody schools

Updated May 19, 2026 · By Sebastian Czarkowski, REALTOR® (Royal LePage Elite West)

Port Moody is the smallest Tri-Cities municipality but punches above its weight on schools: SD43’s only International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the AP-heavy Heritage Woods Secondary, and a transit-oriented urban core paired with mountain-side detached neighbourhoods.

This page ranks Port Moody’s two top secondaries, maps the major neighbourhoods to their catchments, and links to detailed buyer-side guides for every school worth chasing. If IB is a non-negotiable for your family, this is the only Tri-Cities city to consider.

Quick answers

What are the best schools in Port Moody in 2026?

Heritage Woods Secondary for AP-heavy academic outcomes; Port Moody Secondary for the IB Diploma Programme (the only one in SD43). Both rank in SD43’s top three.

Does Port Moody have an IB programme?

Yes — Port Moody Secondary runs SD43’s only IB Diploma Programme. A major differentiator for families with university-bound students aiming at competitive international programmes. IB admission is application-based, not guaranteed by catchment.

Which Port Moody neighbourhood has the best schools?

Heritage Mountain anchors the Heritage Woods Secondary catchment — SD43’s most durable school-driven premium. Suter Brook and Newport Village anchor the Port Moody Secondary catchment for IB-curious families with SkyTrain-oriented lifestyles.

How much premium do Port Moody catchment homes carry?

Heritage Woods catchment carries roughly 10–15% above comparable Port Moody and Coquitlam detached. Port Moody Secondary’s premium is harder to isolate because the catchment housing mix is unusually diverse (condos to waterfront detached).

Heritage Woods or Port Moody Secondary?

Heritage Woods for AP-heavy academics and mountain-side detached living. Port Moody Secondary for IB, SkyTrain access, and the brewery-district lifestyle. Both are top SD43 secondaries; the choice is about lifestyle and program fit, not raw academic ranking.

2 Top secondaries Heritage Woods + Port Moody Secondary (IB).
1 IB programme PoMo Secondary — the only one in SD43.
6+ Elementaries Aspenwood, Heritage Mountain, Moody, and more.
Top 3 In SD43 Heritage Woods ranks among SD43’s top 3 secondaries.
Secondary schools

Top secondary schools in Port Moody

Ranked by academic outcomes, program depth, and the real-world demand each catchment carries from family buyers. Each card links to the full catchment guide — boundaries, housing band, FAQs.

1

Heritage Woods Secondary

Heritage Mountain · Grade 9–12

AP-heavy and academically focused. Strong UBC and SFU placement. Catchment covers Heritage Mountain, Heritage Woods, and parts of Anmore — almost entirely detached housing with the largest lot sizes in Port Moody. Carries the most durable school-driven premium in the city: 10–15% above comparable non-catchment.

AP-heavy UBC/SFU placement Mountain-side detached
Read the Heritage Woods catchment guide →
2

Port Moody Secondary

Port Moody Centre / Glenayre · Grade 9–12

The only IB Diploma Programme in SD43. Major differentiator for academically ambitious families targeting competitive international university programmes. Also offers AP for non-IB students. Catchment covers Suter Brook, Newport Village, Moody Centre, Glenayre, College Park, Klahanie — the widest housing mix of any SD43 catchment ($700K condos to $2.2M waterfront, all one school).

IB Diploma Programme AP for non-IB SkyTrain access
Read the Port Moody Secondary catchment guide →
Elementary schools

Top elementary schools in Port Moody

For families with K–5 kids, these are the elementaries that anchor the strongest K–12 pathways in Port Moody.

1

Aspenwood Elementary

Heritage Mountain · K–5

The primary elementary feeder for the Heritage Woods Secondary pathway. Strong reputation, mountain-side family community. Catchment guide coming in the next batch.

2

Heritage Mountain Elementary

Heritage Mountain · K–5

Complements Aspenwood as a second Heritage Mountain elementary feeding into the Eagle Mountain Middle → Heritage Woods Secondary pathway.

3

Moody Elementary

Moody Centre · K–5

The central Port Moody elementary serving the Suter Brook / Newport / Moody Centre families feeding into Port Moody Secondary’s pathway.

Middle schools

Middle schools in Port Moody

Middle-school assignment determines the secondary intake stream — the catchment line that matters as much as the elementary or the high school.

1

Eagle Mountain Middle

Heritage Mountain · Grade 6–8

The middle-school step in the Heritage MountainHeritage Woods Secondary pathway. Strong outcomes, well-resourced.

2

Moody Middle

Port Moody Centre · Grade 6–8

The middle-school step for the Port Moody Secondary pathway. Diverse cohort drawn from the wide PoMo Secondary catchment.

Programs & specialties

Specialty programs in Port Moody public schools

Beyond the headline rankings — the specific program strengths each Port Moody school carries and which families they fit.

IB Diploma Programme

Port Moody Secondary runs SD43’s only IB programme. Application-based, competitive admission — in-catchment students apply alongside cross-boundary candidates. Recognised currency for global university admissions.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Heritage Woods leads on AP depth across sciences, math, English, and social studies. Port Moody Secondary offers AP for students outside the IB cohort.

Athletics

Heritage Woods is competitive in BC AAA basketball, rugby, and volleyball. Port Moody Secondary has solid programs across most major sports.

Arts & music

Port Moody Secondary has long-established music, drama, and visual arts programs. Heritage Woods supports arts but with less specialisation than Pinetree (in Coquitlam).

Transit-oriented school access

Port Moody Secondary is the only Tri-Cities secondary directly walkable to a SkyTrain station (Moody Centre). Students from Suter Brook, Newport, and Moody Centre can commute without parent drop-off.

Private & independent

Port Moody has limited private school options on-island. Most independent-school-bound families look to Vancouver (St. George’s, York House) or Maple Ridge (Meadowridge).

Schools & home prices

How Port Moody school catchments affect home prices

School-driven resale premiums are real and measurable. Here’s what each top catchment carries above the comparable non-catchment baseline — based on my working analysis of recent sold data.

Catchment Typical home premium Buyer’s read
Heritage Woods (Heritage Mountain) +10–15% Most durable premium in PoMo; held through the 2024 correction. Mountain-side detached only.
Port Moody Secondary (Moody Centre / Glenayre) +3–7% Harder to isolate because catchment housing is so diverse (condos to waterfront). Premium is largest on detached.
Neighbourhood → school map

Which Port Moody neighbourhood feeds which school

A quick reference for buyers searching by neighbourhood. Always verify a specific address with SD43’s catchment tool before writing an offer — boundaries run through specific blocks, not whole streets.

Neighbourhood Primary secondary Notes
Heritage Mountain Heritage Woods Some edge pockets feed Port Moody Secondary — verify.
Port Moody Centre Port Moody Secondary Includes Suter Brook, Newport Village. Walkable to SkyTrain.
Glenayre Port Moody Secondary Established detached pocket; reliable Port Moody Secondary feeder.
Klahanie Port Moody Secondary Waterfront townhomes and condos; high-end pocket of the catchment.
Anmore Heritage Woods Estate-style detached; mostly Heritage Woods catchment.
Heritage Woods neighbourhood Heritage Woods The neighbourhood named for the school — same catchment.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the best secondary school in Port Moody?

Different answer depending on your priorities. Heritage Woods for AP-heavy academic outcomes and mountain-side detached living. Port Moody Secondary for the IB programme and SkyTrain-oriented lifestyle.

Is the IB programme at Port Moody Secondary worth a home purchase?

For families with university-bound students targeting competitive international programmes, often yes. IB is a recognised currency for global admissions. But IB admission is application-based — talk to the IB coordinator before assuming a seat.

Does living in the Port Moody Secondary catchment guarantee an IB seat?

No. IB admission is competitive and application-based. In-catchment students apply alongside cross-boundary candidates. Plan academic preparation in middle school if IB is the goal.

Can I afford a Port Moody school catchment as a first-time buyer?

Yes — entry condos in Moody Centre and Suter Brook trade $700K–$900K and feed Port Moody Secondary. Few SD43 catchments offer this kind of entry-level pricing in a strong-school boundary.

How do Port Moody schools compare to Coquitlam?

Smaller scale, more boutique. Port Moody’s 2 top secondaries match Coquitlam’s top tier on outcomes but offer narrower program breadth. The lifestyle pitch is stronger (SkyTrain, brewery district, Inlet trails); the catchment housing is more expensive.

Are Port Moody schools at capacity?

Heritage Woods is at capacity. Port Moody Secondary has more flex but IB seats are tight. Elementary capacity is generally fine on Heritage Mountain but tightening in the Moody Centre area as condo families settle.

Where do Port Moody Secondary IB students go to university?

Strong UBC, SFU, McGill, U of T placement, plus competitive admissions to US and UK programmes. IB diploma weighting in international admissions is the differentiator.

Is private school more common in Port Moody?

Slightly more than in Coquitlam, but still uncommon. Most Port Moody families committed to top schools stay in the Heritage Woods or PoMo Secondary catchments. Private alternatives require commuting to Vancouver or Maple Ridge.

How do I verify the catchment for a specific Port Moody address?

Use SD43’s official catchment tool at sd43.bc.ca. Critical for Heritage Mountain edges, where some streets feed Port Moody Secondary instead of Heritage Woods.

What if Heritage Woods is full when my child applies?

In-catchment students always have priority — buying inside the boundary protects your child’s access. Cross-boundary into Heritage Woods is rarely accepted because the school is at capacity. If Heritage Woods is the goal, buy in-catchment.

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Sebastian Czarkowski | REALTOR® | Royal LePage Elite West | Coquitlam, BC. School descriptors and rankings reflect publicly available School District 43 data, Fraser Institute school report cards, and local working knowledge — they are not formal academic rankings. Catchment boundaries are set and reviewed by SD43 and subject to change without notice. Always verify the catchment for a specific address using the official SD43 catchment tool. MLS® data from Greater Vancouver REALTORS®. This page is informational and does not constitute a real estate or educational advisory.